The invention relates generally to web browsers for the World Wide Web (WWW) and deals more particularly with a web browser which automatically loads selected types of graphics from a server to a client.
The WWW is well known and comprises a multitude of computer servers, respective data bases and a network by which clients can communicate with the servers and request and load the data. A server may directly manage its own data base and access other, remote data bases on behalf of a client user. The client typically includes a xe2x80x9cweb browserxe2x80x9d to provide a user interface to the WWW.
The server presents the data to the user as xe2x80x9cweb pagesxe2x80x9d and each web page is represented by a xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d address. The URL comprises an access method/protocol such as http as a prefix, a server name or xe2x80x9chome pagexe2x80x9d and the data type, if any, as a suffix. The server name typically includes a xe2x80x9cdomain namexe2x80x9d which is the name of a company, educational institution or other organization that owns the server. There are different ways that a client can access a web page. If the client knows the server name and data type suffix, if any, the client can directly request the web page from the server. However, if the client only knows the server name, the client can address the server name, and in response, the server will present the xe2x80x9chome pagexe2x80x9d for the server. The home page, as well as other web pages, typically include text or graphics which serve as links to other web pages. The links are termed xe2x80x9chot linksxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cclick pointsxe2x80x9d.
For those web pages for which the user does not know at least the server name, there are different types of search engines, such as key word search engines and catalog search engines, to identify a server and/or web page of interest.
After the user identifies a web page of interest, the server may load the web page to the user""s client machine. The web page loaded to the client is represented by an html file and comprises a specification of each component of the web pagexe2x80x94regular text (i.e. text other than alternate text), graphics, alternate text, the nature of the component and whether each text or graphic is clickable, i.e. a link to another web page. The format of html is an industry standard and is further defined in xe2x80x9cHTLL for Fun and Profitxe2x80x9d by Mary E. S. Morris published in 1995 by SunSoft Press, A Prentice Hall title. In the case of text, the html defines the actual text and its location on the web page. However, in the case of graphics, the html does not define the graphics itself but instead specifies a pointer to other files which actually define the graphics. Some of the graphics are complex. While the graphics add meaning to the web page and can serve as click points, they are often time consuming to load. To minimize load time, existing web browsers permit the user to request a web page without graphics. In such a case, the web browser displays simple icons instead of the respective graphics and does not load any background images. Typically, if the graphic was clickable, so is the simple icon which substitutes for the graphic; however, the simple icon does not provide any information as to the nature of the link or whether the graphic had multiple click points or links. In some cases, the html specifies xe2x80x9calternatexe2x80x9d text which substitutes for a graphic if the user opts not to download the graphic, and this alternate text is clickable and provides information as to the nature of the link. However, the alternate text will only provide one clickable link even if there were multiple click points on the original graphic.
The flow chart of FIG. 1 illustrates a known web browser which permits a user to request a web page with or without graphics. In step 100, the user sets web browser parameters including graphics xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d, and then requests a web page by URL address using http access method (step 102). The server responsible for that URL then loads the web page html to the client using http access method (step 104).
FIG. 2 illustrates a web page 105 with graphics on. Web page 105 includes graphics 108, 110, 112 and 114, regular text 116, 118, 120, 122, 124 and 126 and simple horizontal lines 119, 127 and 130. Graphics 112 and 114 are clickable, i.e. when graphics 112 and 114 are selected with a mouse or otherwise, client 210 sends a corresponding URL address onto the web to request the corresponding web page. Graphics 108 and 110 are not clickable. As described in more detail below, graphics 110 and 114 include alternate text, but the alternate texts are not illustrated in FIG. 2 because graphics are on for FIG. 2. Text 124 is also clickable.
FIG. 3 illustrates the same web page 105 with graphics off Simple envelope icons 121, 123, 125 and 127 substitute for the respective graphics 108, 110, 112 and 114 of FIG. 2. However, in the cases of graphics 110 and 114, the alternate texts xe2x80x9cphoto not displayed . . . xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cResumesxe2x80x9d, respectively, from the html are displayed within the simple icons.
The following is the html for web page 105 (and if used to generate the displays of FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 6).
133.  less than HTML greater than 
135.  less than HEAD greater than 
137.  less than TITLE greater than Joans""s home page less than /TITLE greater than 
139.  less than /HEAD greater than 
140.  less than CENTER greater than  less than H1 greater than Joan Reester less than /H1 greater than  less than /CENTER greater than 
141.  less than CENTER greater than  less than b greater than i greater than Last Updatexe2x80x94 less than /i greater than  less than /b greater than  less than tt greater than September 06th, 1996 less than /tt greater than  less than /CENTER greater than 
142.  less than p greater than  less than br greater than 
143.  less than center greater than  less than h3 greater than  less than IMG SRC=xe2x80x9cpics/icons/smiley.gifxe2x80x9d greater than 
148. RESUME  less than /h3 greater than  less than /center greater than 
149.  less than hr greater than 
150.  less than IMG src=xe2x80x9cjason.gifxe2x80x9d border=0 align=right ALT=xe2x80x9cPhoto not displayed . . . xe2x80x9d greater than 
152. Joan_in_ny@vnet.ibm.com (Internal MCCAMBRI at GDL VM7)  less than br greater than 
154.  less than P greater than 
160. 607-752-6335 (Internal 852-6335)  less than br greater than  less than br greater than  less than p greater than 
170.  less than a href=xe2x80x9cquicklist.htmlxe2x80x9d greater than  Most Used and Favorite Links  less than /a greater than  less than br CLEAR=ALL greater than 
180.  less than RIGHT greater than No Photo Available for me . . . Here is my son Jason less than /RIGHT greater than  less than HR greater than  less than br greater than 
186.  less than A HREF=xe2x80x9cpeople.htmxe2x80x9d greater than  less than  IMG SRC=xe2x80x9cpeople2.jpgxe2x80x9d WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=56 greater than  less than /A greater than 
188.  less than A HREF=xe2x80x9cresumes.htmxe2x80x9d greater than  less than  IMG SRC=xe2x80x9cresumes2.jpgxe2x80x9d WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=56 ALT=xe2x80x9cResumesxe2x80x9d greater than  less than /A greater than  less than br greater than  less than HR greater than  less than /BODY greater than  less than /HTML greater than 
The first entry 133 xe2x80x9c less than html greater than xe2x80x9d indicates that this is an html. The next entry 135 xe2x80x9c less than head greater than xe2x80x9d indicates page header. The next entry 137 begins with a tag xe2x80x9c less than title greater than xe2x80x9d which indicates that the subsequent text is a title of the web page used for print job name and quicklist. The next entry 139 is the tag  less than /head greater than  which indicates end of page header. The next entry 140 begins with the tag  less than center greater than  less than h1 greater than  and indicates the subsequent text should be centered. Likewise the next entry 141 begins with the tag  less than center greater than  and indicates that the subsequent text should be centered. The next entry 142 comprises the tag  less than p greater than  less than br greater than  which indicates paragraph and break. The next entry 143 begins with the  less than center greater than  format tag and also includes a tag  less than IMG SRC which indicates that the following file names the graphic 108. Entry 148 indicates the text xe2x80x9cRESUMExe2x80x9d (109 in FIG. 2) and the center format . The next entry 149 in the html is xe2x80x9c less than hr greater than xe2x80x9d which means horizontal rule, i.e. straight line 119. The next entry 150 describes non-clickable graphic 110.  less than IMG src=xe2x80x9cjason.gifxe2x80x9d is the URL for the source of the graphic itself. xe2x80x9cBorder=0xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9calign=rightxe2x80x9d specify the border and alignment characteristics of the graphic 110. The next entry 152 is for nonclickable text 120. The next entry 154 means a paragraph. The next entry 160 is for nonclickable text 122. Entry 170 begins with tag xe2x80x9c less than a greater than xe2x80x9d which means that the subsequent text 124 is clickable. Entry 180 is for nonclickable text 126. Entry 186 is for clickable graphic 112, which does not include any alternate text. Entry 188 is for clickable graphic 114, and includes alternate text xe2x80x9cResumesxe2x80x9d.
After receiving the html, the web browser displays the regular text, clickable text or regular text (but not alternate text) and horizontal lines of the web page (step 105). Next, the web browser determines if there is a graphic yet to be read from the html (decision 106). This is done by scanning down the html looking for a xe2x80x9cIMGxe2x80x9d tag. If not, then the display is complete (step 107). However, if there is a graphic yet to be displayed, the web browser reads the web browser parameters entered in step 100 to determine if this user has requested the web page with graphics or without graphics, i.e. xe2x80x9cgraphics onxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cgraphics offxe2x80x9d, respectively (decision 110). In the former case, i.e. xe2x80x9cgraphics onxe2x80x9d, the web browser reads the file name of the first graphic from the html (step 111). In the illustrated example, the first graphic is graphic 108, and graphic 108 is defined by the file name xe2x80x9cpics/icons/smiley.gifxe2x80x9d. Then, the web browser loads the graphic from the URL indicated by the pointer (step 112). Then, the web browser displays the first graphic on the web page along with the text and horizontal lines that were previously displayed in step 105 (step 114). If the html specifies another graphic (decision 106), then the client repeats steps 110, 111, 112 and 114 until all graphics are displayed.
Referring again to decision 110, if the web browser parameters indicate xe2x80x9cgraphics offxe2x80x9d (instead of xe2x80x9cgraphics onxe2x80x9d as previously discussed), then after the web browser displays the regular text of the web page in step 105, the web browser identifies the first graphic, reads the specification of the first graphic (step 118) and determines if alternate text is specified (decision 120). If so, as is the case for graphics 110 and 114, the client displays the respective alternate text xe2x80x9cPhoto not displayed . . . xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cResumesxe2x80x9d inside simple envelope icons 123 and 127 instead of the graphics 110 and 114 (step 122). However, if no alternate text is specified (decision 120) as is the case for graphics 108 and 112, then the client displays respective simple envelope icons 121 and 125 instead of the actual graphics 108 and 112, respectively (step 124). After step 122 or 124, the client returns to decision 106 to process the next graphic, if any, in the html.
Thus, if the user selects xe2x80x9cgraphics onxe2x80x9d, all graphics, all regular text (but not alternate text) and the horizontal lines are displayed as the web page. However, if the user selects xe2x80x9cgraphics offxe2x80x9d, all regular text, all alternate text, if any, and the horizontal lines are displayed but no graphics are displayed; however, simple icons, if any, are displayed instead of the graphics when no alternate text is specified for the graphics.
While the foregoing technique for selectively displaying web pages with or without graphics permits the user to selectively avoid the delay caused by loading complex graphics, a problem may arise if the graphics provide single or multiple click points and there is no alternate text(s) to inform the user of the function of the single or multiple click points. While the simple icon can serve as a click point in those cases where there is no alternate text, the simple icon does not indicate the consequence of selecting the icon, i.e. to what URL the icon is linked.
Accordingly, a general object of the present invention is to permit a user to control the amount of graphics to load, but ensure that the user loads all graphics necessary to fully understand all click points and utilize the web page.
The invention resides in a computer system for selectively loading graphics for a web page. The user selects graphics on, graphics off or necessary graphics. In response to the user selection of graphics on, the system selects to display a web page with regular text and graphics associated with the web page. In response to the user selection of graphics off, the system selects to display a web page with regular text, without graphics and with alternate text, if any, for the graphics. In response to user selection of necessary graphics, the system selects to display a web page with regular text, without nonclickable graphics, without clickable graphics that have alternate text, with the alternate text, with clickable graphics that do not have alternate text. Thus, all graphics necessary to know the consequence of selecting a hot link, i.e. those graphics for which there is no alternate text, are displayed. In those cases where the system does not display a graphic, the system displays a simple icon instead of the graphic.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the system will display a graphic with multiple click points regardless of whether there is alternate text. This is because such alternate text will not ordinarily describe all click points in sufficient detail.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, in response to the user selection of necessary graphics, the system will also display background images, if any, which are necessary for text readibility.